Sorting case



Oct. 9, 1951 s. R. BOLLING 2,570,636

SORTING CASE Filed April '7, 1948 2 Sheet s-Sheet l FIG. I

- INVENTOR SIDNEY R. BOLLlNG ATTORNEYS S. R. BOLLI NG SORTING CASE Oct. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1948 lNVENTOR S ")NEY R. BOLLING w fimk ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,570,636 SORTING CASE Sidney R. Bolling, Chicago, Ill. Application April 7, 1948, Serial No. 19,560

r This invention relates to improvements in sorting case constructions.

In banking institutions where checks are employed as one of the means of doing business by customers, the banks are required to sort these' checks according to banks, and also when returned from the clearing house they must sort "them according to their customers names, which entails quite a tremendous operation and cost "in the conduct of a banking business.

cases now used in banks are usually vertically I disposed cases having a number of cells or come partments therein, into which the checks are placed during sorting operations. vidual cells, because no provision is made forholding the check in a vertical position so that it is readily removable and visible, oiTers no means for eificient and quick use, because of the necessity of groping on the floor of the cell to make sure that all of the checks deposited dur- Sorting These indiing the sorting operation are taken out when the sorting operation is finished. Broken fingernails, bruised fingers and great fatigue usually accompany this sorting operation, therebycausing a large turnover of employees.

Furthermore, the sorting cases are set up in long banks or groups and occupy valuable space when not being used, because cases of this character are of single use design.

: It-was to overcome these and numerous other. inherent defects that the present invention was devised.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a sorting case of new and improved design; to provide a sorting case which is adapted to be collapsed when not in use so that it may be cused as a desk or table; to provide in a device of this character a shallow box-like frame having a series of cells or chambers having means incorporated therein and having means in the individual cells to cause articles being sortedto lie in a substantially vertical plane; tdprovide a device of this character wherein means are provided to readily and quickly remove the articles being sorted; to provide in a device of this character a series of cells so arranged as to prevent articles being sorted and placed therein from falling to the extreme rear of the individual cell; to provide a device of this character which will automatically cause the sorting case to be raised from inoperative to operative' position 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-241) case from inoperative to operative position and vice versa; and to provide a construction of the character described which is portable in nature, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely .efficient in operation. Other objects will become apparent from the following specification.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a perspective view of my device in open or operative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, illustrating one of the cells or chambers of the present invention and taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a side viewof the device of my invention showing the sorting case in closed position and illustrating the use of the device as a desk or table. The side wings of my invention, as shown in Fig. 1, are not illustrated for clarification purposes and the lower portion of the device is shown broken away.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the sorting case of my invention in operative position, the lower portion of the legs being shown broken away.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, detailed face view, partly in section and shown partly broken away, of the spring arm which facilitates shifting of the sorting case.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6, but showing the spring arm as it would appear when the sorting case is in non-operative or closed position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the embodiment shown is especially designed for use in banking institutions and particularly for use in sorting checks. The device comprises a sorting case generally indicated by the numeral I, having side, bottom and rear walls, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively, and a series of horizontally disposed dividing partition walls 1 and a series of vertically disposed dividing partition walls 8, whereby to form a series of individual cells,

- chambers or compartments in said case;

Each cell is provided with a diagonally disposed substantially vertical extending member 9, arranged across the lower right-hand corner of the cell and extending upwardly substantially halfway between adjacent partition walls 1 and extending lengthwise substantially two-thirdsto three quarters. across the area defined by the drawings.

walls 8 of each compartment, thereby being diagonally disposed in both horizontal and vertical planes. A second vertically disposed member In is positioned rearwardly of the member 9 and covers the upper right-hand corner of the compartment above and behind the member 9 (see Fig. 2). The lower portion or edge of the member I is secured to the rear edge of a diagonally extending member I l. The front portion or edge of the member II is secured to'the upper portion of the member 9. The member H is secured to the members 9 and ID in any suitable manner such as by nails l I. (See Fig. 3.)

It is to be noted that the member 9 lies in a diagonal plane, so that when a check is snapped or thrown in a cell in the usual and customary manner, it will tend to stand on its lower long edge and lie against the member 9 whereby it will stand in a substantially vertical 7 plane.

The vertically extending partition walls .3 are 'provided with a series of notches .or cut-outs 12 whereby ready access to the interior of the cell can be had from the side as Well as from the front.

Thesorting case i is pivotally secured to the front uppercross bar l3 of the supporting structure by any suitable means such as hinges l4.

The supporting structure comprises a pair of vided with a back upright rear closurewmember 21, suitably anchored in position and held rigidly in the construction by an .angle' bracket .22,the vertically extending leg of the bracket 22 being secured to the member 2| while the horizontally disposed lower leg of the angle bracket 22 is securely fastened to the side braces 1'9. The method of fastening may be by means of wood screws 23 or the like.

The. cover, or table, or desk top 25 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the member 2| by any suitable means such as by hinges 2.6, and is of a size to more than completely cover the open face i of the sorting case when the same is in inoperative or closed position. The forward end of the top 25 is secured to the sorting case I by a pair of link arms '21 and 28. I provide a duplicate pair on each side of the sorting case I for ease of operation, but only one pair is shown in the The upper end of the link arm 2'! is pivotally secured to a bracket 29 located'on the underside of the top 25 adjacent the side edge, by any suitable means such as by a bolt or rivet 25'. The "lower end of the link arm 28, as viewed in Fig. 5, is pivotally secured to the sorting case I in any suitable manner such as by a rivet or screw 35. The two ilink arms are pivotally secured together in any suitable manner such-as by a bolt 01 rivet 3 I.

The mechanism' for assisting :in raising the sorting case in the position shown in Fig. from the position shown in Fig. 4, is a spring ccnstruc- *tion member comprising a hollow tubular arm r32 having a roller '33 rotatably secured to the upper end thereof as viewed in Fig. 5. The lower end of the tubular member 32 is rigidly bolted to the upper leg 36 of an offset bracket 35 by means of a pair of bolts 36.. A cradle 3Tis sencnred to the ofiset bracket .35 by means of a Pin 4 38 which is secured to the cradle 31 by threaded engagement as shown at 39 in Fig. 8. The upper end of the pin 39 extends through an aperture 40 in the horizontally extending portion 4| of the bracket 35. A helical compression spring 42 is positioned around the pin 38. The upper end of the spring 42 bears against the lower face of the portion 4! of the bracket 35 while the lower end bears against the upper portion of the cradle 31 (see Fig. 8). The cradle 31 is provided with cammed surfaces 43, 44 and 45.

A fulcrum arm 45 is rigidly secured to a bearing plate 41 by any suitable means such as by welding. The lower end of the leg 34 is pivotally secured to the arm by means of a bolt 48.

When the sorting case I is in inoperative position, the cradle 3'! is rocked about the fulcrum cam face 19 so as to force the cradle to the left as viewed in Fig. '7, thereby compressing the spring 42 so that when the sorting case is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the action of the spring will cause the arm 32 to be'foreibly moved to the left about the cam face is, thereby causing the sorting tray to b moved about the pivot hinge l4 until the camming surface 45 abu against the'stop 56 (see Fig. 6).

The bearing plate '41 is secured to'the front vertical support member I5 and cross bar I!) in any suitable manner such as bolts 5|. It is to be understood that I employ two spring constructions for raising the sorting case, each fastened adjacent the vertical front supporting legs I5. The foregoing spring construction is old in the art and conventional in design and thereforeis not claimed as a part of the present invention.

The forward movement of the sorting-case I about its pivot H3, is limited by a chain, or the like, 52, one end of which is secured to a screw eye 53 anchored medially of the ends of the cross bar 28 and thereto, While the other end of the chain 52 is secured to a screweye 54 anchored in the bottom wall 6 of the sorting case adjacent the wall 2 and medially. of the side walls 34.

In order to prevent accidental closing of the sorting case I have provided a rubber pad'55 on the inner face of the top 25 against which the wall 2 will bear, and it will be apparent also that the angular position of the sorting case may be set from the position'shown in Fig. 5 to approximately 45" due to the friction holding action of the rubber pad 55 against the wall 230i the sorting case.

Side frames or guards 56'and 51, having rubber beads 58 and 59 respectively around the exposed edges thereof, are secured to the sides of the top 25 in any suitablemanner and depend therefrom. The purpose of the sidev framesis to prevent injury to persons standing around the sorting case when the same islowered to themsition shown in Fig. 4, because the side frames or guards 56 and 51 will tend to forcea perscn to withdraw h-isarms if they should inadvertently be inserted into the interiorof the device behind the sortin tra In order to insure relatively quiet clos'ingpf the device, I- have provided pair of plunger elements-generally indicated by the numeral 50, only one being shown in the drawing, the second one located diametrically opposite the on shown in-the draw ng and each is positioned on the upper edge of theside frame members l9.

The plungers 30 are of the usual common type found on the open market. The plungers are only for the purp e f pr nti g the scrt n cas from hanging a ainst the cross ar 1 0 th case I is being lowered to the position shown in Fig. 4.

It will now be apparent from the foregoing that when the device of my invention is not being used as a sortin tray, it may be used as a table or desk. This is an important feature since in present practice in banking institutions both a sorting case and a table on which the employees may complete the sorting operation are required.

Although but one specificernbodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a sorting case pivotally mounted to said frame, a table top pivotally secured to said frame, link means secured to said case and top whereby movement of said top will automatically cause a corresponding movement of said case, a plurality of cells in said case, and a stepped member positioned in each of said cells with one edge thereof adjacent the front edge of one of the walls of said cell and extending diagonally rearwardly substantially to the rearmost opposite corner of said cell.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a sorting case pivotally mounted at its lower front end to the upper front end of said frame, a table top pivotally secured to the upper rear end of said frame and of a surface area greater than the surface area of said case, link means secured to said top and case whereby movement of said top about its pivot will automatically cause a corresponding movement of said case, a plurality of cells in said case, a stepped member in each of said cells positioned diagonally therein, a cut-away portion in the side Walls of each of said cells, spring means positioned on the up er side of said frame adjacent the rear end thereof and arranged to bear against the bottom wall of said case and force said case upwardly and forwardly about its pivot upon movement of said top in an upwardly and rearwardly direction in cooperation with said link means, resilient friction means positioned on the lower face of said table top adjacent the front edge thereof and extending rearwardly substantially medially on the lower face of said top to angularly position said case in open position, and means to limit the forward movement of said case.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a sorting case pivotally mounted at its lower front end to the upper front end of said frame, a table top pivotally secured to the upper rear end of said frame, link means secured to said case and top whereby upward and rearward movement of said top will automatically cause a, corresponding movement of said case, in an upward and forward direction, a plurality of cells in said case, and means in each of said cells for positioning articles placed therein on one of their edges, said means comprising a stepped member positioned in each of said cells with one edge thereof adjacent the front edge of one of the walls of said member and extending diagonally rearwardly substantially to the rearmost opposite corner of said cell.

SIDNEY R. BOLLING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,761,019 Marvel June 3, 1930 1,973,156 Scioscia Sept. 11, 1934 1,991,030 Schimmel Feb. 12, 1935 2,152,378 Gelbaugh Mar. 28, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,660 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1 7 

